Looking back, I realize I walked into this field knowing almost nothing about its reality. While there are tools to prepare women engineers, I still see young women making similar missteps I made 30 years ago. To keep this grounded, my daughter—a recent engineering graduate—helped me edit this article for modern relevancy.
In high school, I was one of the top in my class, took AP courses, and had supportive parents. To be honest, I was cocky. I thought I had all the tools. If your high school teachers are “hard” because they’re prepping you for university, believe them—and know those classes are only half as hard as in university. When I thought it couldn’t get any tougher than studying for the degree, the professional world proved more demanding. In both spaces, you will face:
The Ratio Shock: The lopsided male-to-female ratio starts in the classroom and continues at work. In my entire career, only one company I worked for had a healthy balance. While percentages are improving, women still only earn 20% of engineering bachelor’s degrees, dropping to 15-17%[1] in electrical and mechanical engineering disciplines.
Unwanted Attention: You may face everything from being teased for being “different” to toxic masculinity and harassment.
The Learning Curve: Most of us enter the field focused on cool outcomes—rockets, bridges, buildings—but we don’t know what an engineer does all day. They sell, test, do quality control, build, install, and support the installed product and troubleshoot. They decide what products should and shouldn’t do. They price the product and know their competition. Some of us work on part of the lifecycle and some of us work on the entire lifecycle.
And we face this all while learning how to “adult” and figuring out your technical identity.
What I found is that preparedness is key to managing my success through any quagmire. Here are some tools that I still find helpful.

Accept the Ratio Early: I didn’t notice the gap in high school because my social circle was diverse. And today many teenagers take AP classes so the ratio is not as it once was. However, it was immediately clear to me in college; I was often one or two women out of 50 in an engineering class, and it didn’t significantly change when I made it to the workplace. Don’t let the “shock factor” of being the only woman in the room rattle you. Get used to it in college because it’s a preview of the office.
Fake It ‘til You Make It: I’m sure you’ve heard this “trick” before. Imposter syndrome is incredibly real. Even with the confidence my teachers and parents instilled in me, I had to “fake it” many times. It feels uncomfortable at first, but push through and eventually the confidence becomes real. Know that successful people use this tool often.
Control the Chaos with Planning: Plan your classes for the entire year – I planned my entire 4 years. If you have to drop a difficult course, you need to know exactly how it impacts your timeline and how to fit it back in. Often your university will give you a set plan with classes outlined by semester; however, you also need to plan your engineering and general electives. And if you decide to drop a prerequisite course, this will impact the timeline of taking other courses. Advisors are helpful, but making yourself the architect of your own academic plan will give you confidence in making adjustments.
Find Your Outlets: Your brain will be starved for social interaction. Join a gaming club, go out with friends, and do something that has nothing to do with “work work.”
Research the Full Lifecycle: Engineering isn’t just design or sales. It’s supply chain, testing, requirements analysis, and return on investment (ROI). Understanding the whole lifecycle makes you a better collaborator in the workplace. And as a successful and confident woman you will have options, and understanding the lifecycle and associated roles will help you better understand yourself which will help you navigate your career path. You can research the lifecycle of a product and associated roles on-line, and your Economics and engineering electives will have these practical nuggets of information that you can apply in the workplace.
Be comfortable saying no: If you grew up in a culture where saying “no” was discouraged, you have to fight that instinct. If something doesn’t feel right—whether it’s a technical decision or the way you’re being treated—say something. There are rules in place now to protect those who speak up, largely because companies realize that if you’re uncomfortable, you won’t produce your best work. It is always better to seek coaching or resolution than to suffer in silence.
Get a mentor, preferably a woman: These relationships are similar to friendships; they thrive on shared personality, common interests and goals. At college you may find a mentor in your TA or advisor or professor – we all have a favorite that helped us learn a topic that much easier. In your career it will be a boss or boss’s boss or a peer. You don’t need to ask “will you be my mentor”; just asking questions and keeping in touch establishes the bond. And over time you’ll have a group of folks who support you, and you will support them as well.
If you grind it out and reach the other side, the work is incredibly rewarding.

Engineers create and improve lives. Whether you are in manufacturing, service, or testing, you are part of a lifecycle that builds solutions that make the world safer, more productive and/or enjoyable. Beyond the professional satisfaction, I haven’t met an engineer yet whose lifestyle wasn’t significantly improved by their career choice. Preparing for the hard times doesn’t make them vanish, but it gives you solace. When you know what’s coming, you can count on your strength, address the challenges more efficiently, and feel a deep, earned confidence in yourself. ❦

[1] https://swe.org/research/2026/us-degree-attainment/

About the Authors

Roshni Sherbondy is a results-driven technology executive with expertise in propelling growth for enterprise and government technology portfolios. Drawing on foundational experience from the Department of Homeland Security, Roshni specializes in driving digital transformation, from launching integrated AI-ready platforms to establishing new market revenue streams for emerging technologies.
Roshni is recognized for translating complex technical roadmaps into sustainable business outcomes, advising executive leadership on investment strategies, and scaling global, high-stakes initiatives.

Tara Sherbondy is a Penn State University Chemical Engineering graduate.
Her experience includes research internships with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and research at Penn State.

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